This is the shredded baseball cap of an 11-year-old boy who remains in a 'serious' condition on a ventilator in hospital after being struck by lightning while fishing in the ocean with his father.

Bowen Tyre was fishing in waist-deep water alongside his father, Jason Tyre, at Daytona Beach Shores in Florida when he was hit in the head by a bolt of lightning, which came 'out of the blue'.

Surfing teacher L.J. Kuzmovich and other beachgoers immediately ran to the youngster's aid. Kuzmovich started administering CPR on Bowen and eventually, the boy coughed up water.

He was rushed to Halifax Health Medical Center in a serious condition, officials said. He was later transferred to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, where he remains dependent on a ventilator.

Scroll down for video

Torn to pieces: This photo shows the shredded baseball cap of Bowen Tyre, 11, who remains in a 'serious' condition on a ventilator in hospital after being struck by lightning while fishing in the ocean with his father

Lightning strike: Bowen (pictured) was fishing in waist-deep water alongside his father, Jason Tyre, at Daytona Beach Shores in Florida when he was hit by a bolt of lightning, which came 'out of the blue'

According to a dedicated Facebook page, set up by family friends, Bowen is doing 'as good as could be expected'. His eyes are 'moving' and doctors are hoping to take him off the ventilator shortly.

But while the young boy has 'moved his right side and squeezed the nurse's hand, his left side isn't moving yet', reads a post on the page, titled 'Prayers For Bowen Tyre'. An MRI is scheduled.

Share this article

Bowen, from Georgia, was holidaying at Daytona Beach Shores with his family on Tuesday afternoon when he and his father decided to go fishing in waist-deep water just south of Frank Rendon Park.

He was struck by the bolt of lightning just after 1pm. The strike tore through the right-back portion of his hat, according to a photo of the item, released by Volusia County Beach Patrol on Thursday.

Freak incident: Bowen (left), from Georgia, was holidaying at Daytona Beach Shores with his family (right) on Tuesday when he and his father decided to go fishing in waist-deep water just south of Frank Rendon Park

Happier times: The youngster was struck by the bolt of lightning just after 1pm. Above, Bowen and his brother are pictured on the beach in a photo posted on a dedicated Facebook page, Prayers for Bowen

Hospital: He was rushed to Halifax Health Medical Center in a serious condition, officials said. He was later transferred to Arnold Palmer Hospital (pictured) in Orlando, where he remains dependent on a ventilator

Speaking to ClickOrlando.com, Kuzmovich, the owner of Pure Life Surf School who was teaching on the beach at the time, described the moment he rushed over to help Bowen and gave him CPR.

'After a couple of rounds of compressions, he started coughing up,' he said, adding that the bolt of lightning had come 'out of the blue'. 'There was no thunder, it was just lightning bolt, crash,' he said.

An off-duty fireman also helped the youngster by turning him on his side to aid his breathing. According to beachgoers, Bowen had a visible red 'splotch' on his head from the lightning strike.

Other witnesses said the bolt had come 'out of nowhere' and the only bad weather was miles away.

Scene: According to the Facebook page, set up by family friends, Bowen is doing 'as good as could be expected'. Doctors are hoping to take him off the ventilator shortly. Above, the scene of the lightning strike

Captain Tammy Marris, of Volusia County Beach Safety & Ocean Rescue, said the incident was 'not a typical thing that happens on the beach' and had left Bowen with a number of 'serious' injuries.

The boy was breathing, but unconscious when he was transported to hospital, WESH-TV reported.

On the Facebook page, family friends describe Bowen as an avid fisherman who enjoys 'being outside and country music'. 'He is a 50-year-old man in an 11-year-old's body,' a post on the site reads.

Although Bowen 'ran a fever' on Tuesday night, his temperature has since returned to normal.